A custom rotating platform designed, engineered, and fabricated at our facility in Fontana, California — now in service aboard U.S. Navy ships supporting the Aerosonde® unmanned aircraft system.
At Carousel USA, we design and build precision revolving machinery — custom rotating platforms engineered for the environments most equipment isn’t built to survive. When Textron Systems needed a turntable that could launch and recover an unmanned aircraft from the deck of a moving ship, they came to us. What follows is how we built it.
The Challenge
Textron Systems — a world leader in unmanned aircraft systems — needed a rotating platform that could integrate directly with the launch and recovery of their Aerosonde® Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS). The engineering requirements were demanding:
- Continuous delivery of power and control signals from a fixed command station to a rotating deck, across nearly 360° of travel
- Resistance to saltwater corrosion and UV degradation over a 10+ year service life in open-ocean conditions
- Full compliance with U.S. military fabrication standards and component specifications
- Structural integrity to physically catch and secure a returning unmanned aircraft during recovery
- Very low maintenance burden for remote deployments where access to parts and service is limited
In short: a rotating deck that could supply uninterrupted electrical power through the pivot, survive a decade in salt spray, meet every fabrication standard to the letter, and be tough enough to catch a returning aircraft in flight.
The Solution: A Purpose-Built Custom Turntable
Carousel USA designed and built a custom turntable system from the ground up — fabricated with high-grade materials specifically selected to withstand the corrosive environments of the open sea. Every design decision was driven by the realities of deployment: a piece of equipment that would spend years aboard a ship, exposed to salt, sun, vibration, and the physical shock of catching an aircraft.
At the heart of the design is a proprietary cable management system that delivers direct, reliable power and control signals from the fixed command station to the Launch and Recovery (L&R) system mounted on the rotating deck — across nearly 360° of continuous travel, with no wear points and no signal interruption.
The turntable provides critical power and controls to the top deck while maintaining the structural integrity required to catch and secure an unmanned aircraft mid-operation — designed, fabricated, and certified entirely in Fontana, CA by Carousel USA.
— Carousel USA Engineering Team
System Specifications
| Rotation | ~360° continuous |
| Service Life | 10+ years |
| Environment | Open Ocean / Naval & Ground |
| Coatings | Military-Specification (MIL-SPEC) |
| Components | Military-Grade |
| Maintenance | Very Low |
| Fabrication Standards | U.S. Military |
| Origin | Designed & Built in the USA |
Engineered to a Higher Standard
Every feature of the turntable was engineered against the specific conditions of the deployment environment:
- Proprietary Cable Management — Our continuous-rotation cable system delivers uninterrupted power and control signals across the full range of motion, with no wear points and no signal loss.
- MIL-SPEC Protective Coatings — Every surface coated and treated for 10+ years of resistance to saltwater corrosion and UV exposure.
- Very Low Maintenance — Designed to minimize maintenance burden for deployments where access to parts and service is limited.
- Designed & Built in the USA — Entirely American-engineered and fabricated by Carousel USA at our Fontana, California facility.
- Mil-Grade Throughout — Only military-specification components used, from structural members to fasteners.
- Application-Ready — Integrates directly with the Aerosonde L&R system on both naval and ground-based platforms.
Deployed and Proven at Sea
The turntable system is installed on U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ships and ground-based platforms. The Aerosonde UAS Launch and Recovery System is mounted directly to the turntable’s rotating top deck, allowing operators to orient the entire assembly into the wind for optimal launch and recovery conditions — regardless of the ship’s heading.
The cable management system routes power and control continuously through the rotating joint, eliminating any wear points or signal interruption across the full range of motion. Protective coatings shield all exposed surfaces from salt spray, moisture, and UV degradation, keeping the system fully operational across a 10+ year service life with minimal maintenance.
The Results
Carousel USA delivered a field-proven turntable system that met the full scope of Textron Systems’ requirements. The platform has been deployed aboard U.S. Navy vessels and ground-based systems, directly supporting the Aerosonde UAS across multiple theaters of operation.
The Aerosonde UAS — supported by the Carousel USA turntable — has since been expanded to a fleet of 10+ U.S. Navy ships. In late 2024, Textron Systems was awarded a follow-on NAVAIR contract valued at up to $47 million to continue the program.
This is the kind of work Carousel USA has been doing for decades — custom revolving machinery engineered for industries where “close enough” isn’t an option. From commercial showroom turntables to industrial rotating platforms to one-of-a-kind custom applications like this one, every piece that leaves our shop is built to the same standard.
Watch It In Action
See the complete launch and recovery sequence:
Read the full case study: Military Grade Turntable System
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Have a Custom Engineering Challenge?
Carousel USA designs and builds custom turntables and rotating machinery for commercial, industrial, and specialized applications worldwide. If you have a project that demands more than an off-the-shelf solution, let’s talk.